Photos: Top 17 diet-wrecking foods

Handout, Foodland Ontario/CP07.27.2012

There are some go-to foods that are a part of many diets because they have always been regarded as being healthy. But instead, they’re little diet wreckers because of their high calorie and fat content. Keep clicking to see Photos: Top 17 diet-wrecking foods.

Handout
/ Foodland Ontario/CP

Caesar Salad

The first food fraud is Caesar salad. Unless you’re judicious about how much dressing you add, just a small bowl can have up to 300 or 400 calories and 30 grams of fat.

Two per cent milk sounds healthier than "whole" milk. But it still has more than half the saturated fat of whole milk. Here's what's in a cup of milk:

Whole Milk (3.25%) = 150 cal., 8g fat, 5g sat. fat

Reduced-fat (2%) = 130 cal., 5g fat, 3g sat. fat

Skim (nonfat) = 80 cal., 0g fat, 0g sat. fat

Food Fix: If you like whole milk, blend it with 2% for a while, then 1%, then skim, until you get used to the taste of nonfat milk. Source: WebMD.com

Muffins

Muffins masquerade as a healthy choice for breakfast. They beat doughnuts, but they're still mainly sugary little cakes of refined flour, kind of like cupcakes sans frosting. One store-bought muffin can hit 500 calories with 11 teaspoons of sugar.

Low-fat granola only has about 10 per cent fewer calories, and it’s still full of sugar. But eating it seems to give people the feeling they can eat a lot more of it. A study at Cornell University found that people ate 49 per cent more granola when they thought it was low-fat.

Too often this nutritional superstar — rich in protein and calcium — contains shocking amounts of added sugar. Some brands add 30 or more grams of fructose, sucrose, or other sweeteners.

Food Fix: Six ounces should be 90-130 calories and under 20 grams of sugar. Avoid sugary "fruit on the bottom," or blend sweetened yogurt with plain, nonfat yogurt. Source: WebMD.com

Multigrain

When you see "multigrain" on bread, pasta or waffles, flip the package over and check the nutrition label. Even with more than one type of grain, the product could be made largely from refined grains — such as white flour — which have been stripped of fibre and many nutrients.

Food Fix: Look for "100% whole grain" (oats, wheat) as the first ingredient. Or choose a brand with more fibre. Source: WebMD.comCJ Katz
/ CJ Katz

”Light” foods

Anything labelled "light" is enticing when you're watching your weight. But often the food is not what you expect. Light olive oil, for instance, has the same calorie and fat content as other types it's just lighter in colour and taste.

Watch out for microwave popcorn. One popular brand’s snack size has 9 grams of bad fat, including 6 grams of trans fat.

Food Fix: Compare nutrition labels and get a lower-fat popcorn that has no trans fat at all. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese or low-salt spice blends for added flavour without a lot of fat. Source: WebMD.comPhotos.com
/ canada.com

Iceberg Lettuce

Iceberg lettuce has zero vitamins and flavour. And because it’s so lacking in taste, many people will add extra dressing and toppings.

Food Fix: Add spinach or arugula to your salad mix. Then splash the salad with a little oil and vinegar to add flavour without a lot of calories. Source: WebMD.comBrian J. Gavriloff
/ Edmonton Journal

Salty Toppings

Processed artichoke hearts, chickpeas and olives are just a few of the salt shockers lurking on the salad bar. To avoid an unhealthy amount of sodium, limit anything that comes out of a can. Also pass up cured meats. Choose beans or tuna, but not both.

Photos: Top 17 diet-wrecking foods

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